Archives for August 2014

Introduction:

Jill and Brad talk about what’s coming up this episode what wishes they’d want granted in the small businesses they run. Jill wishes more than anything that she could hire a staff to help her out, and more sponsors for this podcast, and way more time. (If you grant wishes for a living, please get in touch.) Brad wishes he had words — in a certain order — and a magic wand for SEO purposes. And a driver. And they both most definitely want to make sure that you’ve gotten your copy of their incredible e-book! Get it here.

Guest #1:

Brian Burkhart is the founder of SquarePlanet Presentations where he helps business owners sound better by making all things communication more fun and effective. It’s also a place where fortune favors the bold. Find him on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Special Announcement:

WE’RE GOING LIVE…AGAIN!!! Breaking Down Your Business has its second stop on the Hand Gestures Tour where Brad and Jill will be doing their SECOND LIVE. TAPING. On October 2, 2014, ContentJamwill be hosting Jill & Brad as they talk to marketers at this exceptional Chicago conference. They’ll make you laugh. They’ll throw things at you. And they’ll be sure to embarrass themselves a tremendous amount. Join them!

Top 5 Things You Wish Were True About Your Business (But Aren’t)

Jill and Brad discuss the top 5 things that they wish were true, but aren’t. Things like the fact that everyone else seems to know what they’re doing. Not true. Or that apparent success means you’re rolling around in giant piles of cash. Not true. Or that our teams work really well without us; but as small business owners, it’s not always the case. Or that we have zero guilt when it comes to being a working parent. Not true. Or that we have so much time to get things done. Yeah right. Have any of your own things you wish were true but aren’t? Call Jill & Brad at 708.872.7878 and let them know.

Tool of the Week:

Signals – Get notified when your emails are read. It’s a Google Chrome extension that’s safe, for free and with no limits, forever.

Sponsors:

SELFIE CONTEST! Brought to you by ContentJam! Take a selfie while you’re listening to the Breaking Down Your Business podcast, post it to Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #JillnBrad, and you could win one conference pass to the conference!

EnMast.comis a small business owner community that offers members a supportive community and mass resource to help owners. Like getting paid? You have to go get the Pricing Kit that will help you learn how to raise your prices, when to do it, how to tell your clients to do it, and will get you to…wait for it…raise your prices! Go get it here! HERE!

Mailtrack – Another tool that you can use to find out when your emails are read.

What are some of the things that you wish were true but aren’t? Did Brad and Jill miss anything? Let us know! Leave us a Google Voicemail so that we can read it in a future episode at 708.872.7878. Or tweet at us using hashtag #jillnbrad. And leave us a review on iTunes — pretty please?Over here.

Introduction:

Jill and Brad talk about what’s coming up this episode and a couple of recent embarrassing moments they’ve had at work. A couple of many, really: Brad and Jill could be spokespeople for Those Who Do Embarrassing Things In Their Business All The Time. Fortunately, the world is an accepting place (as are fellow business owners like you.) Thanks to common traits in business like Face Blindness and Lack of Name Recall, Brad and Jill also ease the pain for business owners by explaining that everyone has the same issues. You don’t have to be so embarrassed, even if they continue to be embarrassed on a regular basis. And they most definitely want to make sure that you’ve gotten your copy of their incredible e-book! Get it here.

Guest #1:

Jonny Andrews is a best-selling author, publishing expert, entrepreneur, international speaker, business strategist and founder of AudienceHacker.com, a place where loads of content is created author entrepreneurs and their audience-driven businesses.Find him on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Special Announcement:

WE’RE GOING LIVE…AGAIN!!! Breaking Down Your Business has its second stop on the Hand Gestures Tour where Brad and Jill will be doing their SECOND LIVE. TAPING. On October 2, 2014, ContentJamwill be hosting Jill & Brad as they talk to marketers at this exceptional Chicago conference. They’ll make you laugh. They’ll throw things at you. And they’ll be sure to embarrass themselves a tremendous amount. Join them!

Top 5 Awkward Conversations In Business

Jill and Brad discuss the top 5 awkward conversations that business owners often have and more importantly, why they’re awkward and what folks can do about them. From those performance reviews (too formal, all about a raise, who’s really listening and not sitting there awkwardly?) to the coffee date (often aimless, often lengthy, often a giant waste of both people’s time) to that scary “you’re not getting hired” conversation (awkward, often avoided, and usually, awkward), to Donald Trump’s favorite, “You’re fired!”, there are many awkward conversations that don’t have to be so awkward. Just do it. Nip it in the bud. Take charge. Figure out a better way to say it. Take that awkwardness out of the picture and you won’t have to have so many awkward conversations. Promise. Have any tips of your own that they missed? Call Jill & Brad at 708.872.7878 and let them know.

Guest #2:

Natalie Eckdahl is the founder of BizChixPodcast where she shares the journey of amazing female entrepreneurs (and a few cool dudes) 5 days a week, and co-founder of ScheduleMAX, an online scheduling site tailored to service-oriented businesses. Find her on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Tool of the Week:

LinkedIn App — Use this app to avoid awkwardness! It saves the day on a meeting day when you can’t remember anything about the person you’re going to meet. Type in a name and with a quick scroll, remember exactly why you’re getting together. Yeah!

Sponsors:

SELFIE CONTEST! Brought to you by ContentJam! Take a selfie while you’re listening to the Breaking Down Your Business podcast, post it to Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #JillnBrad, and you could win one conference pass to the conference!

EnMast.comis a small business owner community that offers members a supportive community and mass resource to help owners. Like getting paid? You have to go get the Pricing Kit that will help you learn how to raise your prices, when to do it, how to tell your clients to do it, and will get you to…wait for it…raise your prices! Go get it here! HERE!

Resources mentioned in the podcast:

EnMast Pricing Kit – Go. Get It. Find out the benefits of raising your prices and get help to do exactly that in your own business.

ScheduleMAX – an excellent calendaring resource for you service-based business owners

What are some of the ways that you think business owners make things super awkward? Did Brad and Jill miss anything? Let us know! Leave us a Google Voicemail so that we can read it in a future episode at 708.872.7878. Or tweet at us using hashtag #jillnbrad. And leave us a review on iTunes — pretty please? Over here.

Introduction:

Jill and Brad talk about what’s coming up this episode, why Jill can’t stand people who schedule phone calls to then email about the phone calls to then get on the phone about the phone call before calling on the phone for the scheduled phone call, and how Brad can’t stand when people text to ask questions that they could have asked by picking up the phone and calling instead. They shout about business even more than they usually do and they most definitely want to make sure that you’ve gotten your copy of their incredible e-book! Get it here.

Guest #1:

Lola Wright is the Executive Director of Bodhi Spiritual Center, an inclusive and welcoming community that knows that giving is receiving and that the more we give the more we are abundantly blessed in return. Find her on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Top 5 Things Business Owners Do Wrong

Jill and Brad discuss their top 5 ways that business owners are doing it wrong. Among others, they discuss things like: Introducing Brad to your colleague who he just has to talk to because they’d be great together? SUCK IT. (If your time is valuable, isn’t Brad’s, too?) Asking Jill to help promote your business or do something beneficial to you very generally? SUCK IT. (If you want her to tweet or put it on the socials, send prepped info and don’t waste her time sorting out the what/who/why/where of your information that she doesn’t know otherwise.) Want Brad and Jill to call someone on your behalf by asking them generally if they “know anyone?” SUCK IT. Don’t just ask generally expecting that they’ll understand who you want them to reach out to about what. Have any tips of your own that they missed? Call Jill & Brad at 708.872.7878 and let them know.

Guest #2:

Elise Jaffe is the founder of Big Teeth Productions, a small but loyal consortium of overgrown kids with highly active imaginations – It’s a good thing we got into this line of work.. Find her on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Tool of the Week:

Voice Recorder– Use Voice Recorder to create memos in your phone. Record voicemails without having to call people, wait through the phone rings and the intros and just send them what you need to say. It’s especially great for groups of people (rather than calling each one and repeating yourself)!

Sponsors:

SELFIE CONTEST! Brought to you by The Founding Moms Conference. Take a selfie while you’re listening to the Breaking Down Your Business podcast, post it to Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #JillnBrad, and you could win a Full Conference Pass to the conference! Jill’s organization, The Founding Moms, is hosting it in Chicago on Monday, October 6, where amazing speakers like Christie Hefner are speaking, inspiring attendees are attending, and delicious food and bands will gather together! Bands, we say! (Or, get your tickets here.)

EnMast.com is a small business owner community that offers members a supportive community and mass resource to help owners. Like getting paid? You have to go get the Pricing Kit that will help you learn how to raise your prices, when to do it, how to tell your clients to do it, and will get you to…wait for it…raise your prices! Go get it here! HERE!

Assume – It makes an A out of U and Me. Just a reminder, thanks to Brad.

What are some of the ways that you think business owners do it wrong? Did Brad and Jill miss anything? Let us know! Leave us a Google Voicemail so that we can read it in a future episode at 708.872.7878. Or tweet at us using hashtag #jillnbrad. And leave us a review on iTunes — pretty please? Over here.

Introduction:

Jill and Brad talk about what’s coming up this episode, why Jill never wants to go on vacation and then goes on vacation, the secret ways to get to Zero Inbox, and how Brad was talked into leaving his laptop at home before taking his summer vacation. They debate e-mail away messages and they most definitely want to make sure that you’ve gotten your copy of their incredible e-book! Get it here.

Guest #1:

Jeannie Walters is back! LIVE! She’s the founder of 360Connext, a consulting firm specializing in the cornerstones of customer experience: customer engagement, employee engagement and connections like social media. Find her on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

Top 5 Ways to Prepare for Vacation

Jill and Brad discuss their top 5 ways that they prep for vacation. You’ve gotta clear your calendar. Inform your clients. Prepare your staff. Turn off your tech (what???) and make sure to reduce your workload as much as possible so that you survive the before, during and after of your vacation. Have any tips of your own that they missed? Call Jill & Brad at 708.872.7878 and let them know.

Guest #2: Karen’s Hot Topic

K. Farris is the beautiful wife of the one and only Brad Farris. She rants about business owners who aren’t interested in being on the Breaking Down Your Business podcast because they may have to discuss a challenge they’re having in their business…and some business owners don’t think they have any challenges. That it’s all going swimmingly. That this show is not synergistic with their brand. The rant is beautiful and quite synergistic, to boot.

Tool of the Week:

Tripit – Organize your travel plans in one place with TripIt, your all-in-one travel itinerary and trip organizer. Their vision: To enable the perfect trip. Their mission: To create apps to delight travelers. Their mantra: To make it automagical.

Sponsors:

SELFIE CONTEST!

Brought to you by The Founding Moms Conference. Take a selfie while you’re listening to the Breaking Down Your Business podcast, post it to Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #JillnBrad, and you could win a Full Conference Pass to the conference! Jill’s organization, The Founding Moms, is hosting it in Chicago on Monday, October 6 where amazing speakers, inspiring attendees, delicious food and bands will gather together! Bands, we say! (Or, get your tickets here.)

EnMast.com is a small business owner community that offers members a supportive community and mass resource to help owners. Like getting paid? You have to go get the Pricing Kit that will help you learn how to raise your prices, when to do it, how to tell your clients to do it, and will get you to…wait for it…raise your prices! Go get it here! HERE!

Resources mentioned in the podcast:

Synergistic – Even Urban Dictionary doesn’t have a definition yet for this word.

What are some of the ways that you prep for vacation? Did Brad and Jill miss anything? Let us know! Leave us a Google Voicemail so that we can read it in a future episode at 708.872.7878. Or tweet at us using hashtag #jillnbrad. And leave us a review on iTunes — pretty please? Over here.

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